Mail-box.



J. G. GABEL.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16, 1911.

1,055,735. Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

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CDLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60-, WASHINGTON. D. c.

J. G. GABEL.

MAIL BOX. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16, 1911.

1,055,735,. Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

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J. G. GABEL.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16, 1911.

1,055,735. Patented Mar. 11,1913.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN G. GABEL, 0F GI-IAMIPAIGN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 CHARLES N. GADWELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-BOX.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. GABEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Champaign, county of Champaign, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in mail boxes and has for its object the production of a mail box so designed as to be adapted to sound an alarm, that is to notify the owner of the box when mail is deposited therein or in the event of the box being tampered with.

A further object is the production of a mail box as mentioned which will be of durable and economical construction and of high eiiiciency inuse.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

WVith these objects in view, my invention consists in a mail box characterized as above mentioned and in certain details of construction and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim. v

My invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mail box embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a central vertical section thereof, Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on substantially a line 10-00 of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detailed inner view of the releasable connection between the door of the box and the sliding plate thereof, and, Fig. 5 is a section taken on substantially line g of Fig. 4.

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the drawings comprises a box 1 preferably of substantially rectangular form as shown and formed by preference, although not necessarily, of sheet metal. Hingedly secured at 2 at the upper portion of the front wall of the box 1 is a door 3 through the medium of which access may be gained to the interior of said box. A finger piece 4 is provided adjacent the upper free end of the door 3 to facilitate opening or closing thereof. Arranged within the box 1 in the upper end thereof is a plate 5, the lateral edges of which are slid- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 16, 1911.

Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

Serial No. 644,411.

ably mounted in channel guides 6 provided for the reception thereof upon the inner walls of said box. The plate 5 is normally held at its inner terminal of movement in the box 1 through the medium of a helical tension spring 7. The front edge of the plate 5 is bent downwardly, the same being provided with an inwardly projecting stud 8 which is adapted for engagement by a hook member 9 pivotally mounted upon the inner side of the door 3 adjacent the upper end thereof. A reinforcing plate 10 is provided upon the inner side of the door 3 at the point of connection of the member 9 therewith in order to reinforce said door, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. At the lower edge of the plate 10' is provided an inwardly projecting portion 11 which serves as a stop for the member 9, limiting rotary movement thereof. The member 9 is provided centrally with a socket 12 for the reception of the point of a key whereby said member 9 may be rotated into or out of engagement with the plate 5 and the stud 8 carried thereby.

The construction is such, as will be observed, that an operative connection is established between the free end of the door 3 and the plate 5, so that when said door is swung toward open position the plate 5 will be drawn outwardly therewith as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, said plate serving as a means of limiting the outward movement of said door, movement of said door beyond the extent permitted by said plate being effected only when the member 9 is turned to release said door. Provided in plate 5 adjacent the forward edge thereof is an elongated narrow slot 13, said slot being so positioned that when the plate 5 is at its outer terminal of movement, said slot will be exposed so as to permit of the insertion of mail matter, such as letters, into the box 1; insertion of mail matter into the box being therefore permitted only upon outward swinging of said door 3 in order to expose the slot 13. At its lateral edges the door 3 is provided with inwardly projecting flanges 14 which serve to span the gaps which otherwise would be formed at the edges of the door when swung outwardly.

The interior of the box 1 is divided by means of a partition 15 into a front compartment for the reception of mail matter and into a rear compartment which serves to house the alarm device. The upper edge of said plate being releasably retained in operative position by means of the keeper 16 under which the same rests, release of said plate in order to effect removal thereof being permitted upon downwardly springing of the upper edge thereof from engagement with said keeper. Arranged Within the rearward compartment formed by the partition 15 is an electrical cell or dry battery 17 and arranged adjacent thereto upon the rear wall of the box 1 1s an electric hell or other suitable sounding or alarm device 18. One of the binding posts of the cell 17 is connected with one of the binding posts of the bell 18, the other of the binding posts of said cell being connected as shown with a contact plate 19' which is arranged within the box 1, upon one of the lateral walls thereof, but insulated from the latter. The other of the terminals or posts of the bell 18 is grounded to the walls of the box 1 as shown in Fig. 3, so that through the walls of said box an electrical connection is established between the last mentioned terminal of the bell 18 and the slidable plate 5. The contact plate 19 is arranged in the path of movement of the rearward edge of said plate 5 so that when the latter is moved forwardly as above described the same will. contact with said contact plate to close the circuit through the cell 17 and bell 18 to effect actuation of the latter. Hence, with this construction it will be seen that upon insertion of mail matter into the box, which insertion is only permitted upon outward swinging of the door 3, the electrical circuit through the alarm device will be closed to serve as a notification to the owner of the box. A similar alarm is given in the event of the mail box being tampered with by persons attempting to remove the mail from the insertion opening.

If desired the cell 17 and the bell 18 may be removed from the box and arranged within the house or any other desired location. hen this is done however, the grounded terminal of the bell will be connected or wired to a binding post 20 arranged at the side of the box, the wire connected with the plate 19 being in this event connected with a binding post 21 which is arranged upon the side of the box as shown, connected with said plate. When this is done the partition 15 ceases to possess util ity and hence may be dispensed with.

In the front wall of the box 1 are preferably provided openings 22 through which the interior of the box may be viewed so as to ascertain whether mail has been deposited therein; and provided on the front side of the door is a name-plate 23. At one side of the box is provided an exteriorly positioned pocket 24- into which letters or other mail matter may be inserted for delivery to the mail man. And provided upon the upper end of the box is a spring clip 25 which. is provided to accommodate larger mail packages such as newspapers or the like.

A mail box of the construction set forth is durable and economical. The same is of high etliciency in use and because of its simplicity in construction is not susceptible to readily becoming inoperative.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, the same is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but wish to avail myself of such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A device of the kind described comprising a box having an outwardly swinging door; guide ways on the sides in said box; a supplemental top slidably mounted in said guide ways, provided with a perforation for the insertion of mail matter and connected with said door to be moved therewith; a stop on said supplemental top adapted to engage said guide ways to limit the out ward movement of such supplemental top; and a spring connected to the inner side of said box and the inner edge of said supplemental top to normally maintain such supplemental top in such box, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN G. GABEL.

Vitnesses:

HELEN F. LILLIs, JOSHUA R. H. Porrs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

